CHESTERFIELD, Mo. (August 20, 2019) – Ryan Roy of Norwood Hills Country Club, winner of the Gateway PGA Professional Championship on August 20, 2019 at Jefferson City Country Club will lead four Section PGA Professionals to compete in the 53rd PGA Professional Championship, April 26-29 at Omni Barton Creek Resort and Spa in Austin, Texas.

Roy turned in a winning two-day total of 9-under-par 135 to capture the Gateway PGA Professional Champion title. Brandon Veld of Bellerive Country Club was runner-up, finishing at 4-under-par 140. They are joined by Shane Blankenship of Old Kinderhook GC and Jeff Whitfield of the Quarry of Crystal Springs.

The PGA Professional Championship and 41 PGA Section Championships feature a total purse of more than $1.5 million. The PGA Professional Championship purse is $550,000, distributed among those who make the cut in the 312-player field. Golf Channel will televise all four rounds of the national Championship.

If eligibility is met and maintained, the low 20 scorers in 2020 will earn berths into the 102nd PGA Championship, May 14-17, at Harding Park Golf Club, San Francisco, California.

In addition to the Walter Hagen Cup, the PGA Professional Championship winner also receives an exemption into the next 10 PGA Professional Championships and exemptions into six PGA TOUR events over a 12-month period.

Established in 1968, the PGA Professional Championship roster of Champions includes the following premier TOUR professionals: Sam Snead, Bob Rosburg, Don Massengale, Ed Dougherty, Larry Gilbert, and Bruce Fleisher.

The PGA Professional Championship is presented by Cadillac, Club Car and OMEGA. Supporting sponsors are Titleist/FootJoy, NIKE and TaylorMade Golf. Presenting partners are Golf Channel and the PGA TOUR. The 41 Section Championships and the National Championship offer a combined purse of $1.5 million.

About Cadillac:Cadillac has been a leading luxury auto brand since 1902. Today, Cadillac is growing globally, driven by an expanding product portfolio featuring distinctive design and technology. More information on Cadillac appears at www.cadillac.com. Cadillac’s media website with information, images and video can be found at media.cadillac.com.

About the PGA of America:The PGA of America represents the very best in golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About The Gateway PGA Section
The Gateway PGA is one of 41 sections of the PGA of America that in total services over 28,000 professionals in the United States. The mission of the Gateway PGA, which is comprised of over 335 professionals at over 200 facilities in eastern and central Missouri and southern Illinois, is to provide its members with meaningful playing, educational and financial opportunities while promoting golf at all levels in the geographical confines of the organization.